Rumi mon amour

Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi, mostly known as RUMI (born on 30 September 1207 in Tajikistan), was a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, theologian and a Sufi mystic. Rumi’s importance is considered to transcend national and ethnic borders. Iranians, Afghans, Tajiks, Greeks and other Central Asian Muslims have greatly appreciated his spiritual legacy in the past seven centuries. His poems have been translated into many languages and he has been described as the “most popular poet in America”.

Rumi believed passionately in the use of poetry, dance and music as a way for reaching god. For Rumi, music helped to focus on the whole being. Out of his ideas the practice of whirling developed and became a ritual for the Dervishes. His teachings, like poems about infinity and his passion to listen to music while turning or doing the sacred dance, represent the “sama”, a mystical journey of spiritual ascent through mind and love to the perfect One. In this journey, the seeker symbolically turns towards the truth, grows through love, abandons the ego and finally arrives at the Perfect. The seeker then returns from this great spiritual journey, with a greater maturity, to love to be of service to the whole of creation without discrimination with regard to beliefs, races, classes and nations.
Rumi died on 17 December 1273 in Turkey. His thought about Life and Love and the infinitely whole being is since many centuries a great inspiration for many humans on their journey through life.

Especially in this season of autumn I feel very connected to his poems and ideas about infinity. Much more than in every other season I am seeking for the true meaning about life. Maybe this is caused by the leaves that are turning from green to yellow, to red and brown. Maybe it is caused by the sun that changes its warmness and its way to express the sunbeams. Maybe it’s the days that are getting shorter. Maybe it is my strong sage on the balcony which is slowly dying. Maybe it is my cats that got in a sleepy state during the last weeks, maybe it is the cup of tea I have instead of having a cold beer while I meet my friends in the cafe around the corner. Maybe baby….

I don’t know why, but form all the seasons I emphasize autumn as a very philosophical one, during all the year I never spend so much thoughts on what being is and means and if I am on the right path on my life.

As Rumi said:

“Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter. It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh, green leaves can grow in their place. It pulls up the rotten roots, so that new roots hidden beneath have room to grow. Whatever sorrow shakes from your heart, far better things will take their place.”

I think the fall shows us the infinity of life in all forms, shapes, colors and actions. And therefore we need to take a stock of oneself. Just if we’re able to do that we can understand that we’re a part of that infinity and therefore a part of the leaves, that are turning from green to yellow, a part of the sun that changes its warmness and its sunbeams, a part of the days that are getting shorter, a part of that sleepy mood from the cats, a part of our hands that are holding the warm cup of tea, while chatting with our friends. And last but not least a part of the sage that we plant once upon time and that will rise the next spring again – strong, full of beauty, wiser and full of taste.